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Monday, November 30, 2015

When Oceans Rise... Word of Encouragement

2015 is almost over, and there is no doubt some of you awesome readers are still looking up to God for a breakthrough; some of you are probably wondering if God is on holiday, and some of you are crucifying yourselves for your sins. Perhaps, they are the giant obstacles between you and God. I just want to tell you that I know EXACTLY how you feel.

2015 started off great for me! It came with a lot of pleasant surprises and many reasons to give thanks. Along the way, it took a terrible turn I did not foresee, and truly I tell you that I’ve experienced emotions I never thought I could experience. I have broken down, picked myself up, walked a few metres and broken down again. Anxiety, panic attacks, and flirting with the borders of hopelessness… It has simply been too much for me to understand, and in the midst of all this, the one question I’ve asked myself is ‘why is God silent?’ If you’re asking yourself the same question, this post is for you.

Sometimes, life does not play out the way we want; sometimes it plays out better or takes a turn for the worse. When it turns out great, many of us give thanks and ride the wave of happiness. When it turns out sad, we retreat, pray, fast and do whatever else we believe will turn things around quicker. It is of course rather disappointing when all these efforts prove futile and we find the foundation of our faith being shaken to its very core. I know because I have been there so many times within a short space of time.

My word for you is to not despair; easier said than done I know, but really, don’t. Life is full of peaks and valleys. Peaks are awesome; the journey upwards is scary in an exciting way. Valleys are depressing; the journey downwards is full of fear, panic, anxiety and every other psychological term that describes how you feel when you are filled with uncertainty. But don’t despair. This is all a test of faith.

Yes, you can break down and cry; yes you can get angry at God; yes you can reconsider if this relationship is heading anywhere, but always remember that no one else loves you more than God. It sounds ridiculous right? Yea it did to me too until I closed my eyes to sleep last night while I listened to music and Hillsong’s oceans started playing. It made me realize the reason we lose hope and faith is because we forget the many times God came through for us. We focus so strongly on the current situation that we forget he has been our help in ages past, hence chances of him failing now are a little slim to none. We forget that when oceans rise, we can rest in His embrace, and believe everything will work out just fine. Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love, and everything truly works out for our good.

So if you are going through a difficult time, ravished by uncertainty and hopelessness, hold on to this; when oceans rise, God is right there. When we fall into deep valleys, God is already waiting. When the mountain is too steep and we slip, God is already there. If it seems like He’s silent, it’s because he’s about to change the course of your life completely.

December is already here. Challenge yourself each day to reinforce your faith, and pray for strength to get through each day. You are a winner; I am a winner. We are all winners. The storm you see today, you shall see no more. Everything will work together for your good.